The present invention relates to a method for producing enzymes and, respectively, enzyme complexes from plant seeds.
So-called technical enzymes in the food and chemical industry are obtained presently by means of mold fungi or bacteria. Quite often it is desirable or necessary to use enzymes produced on a "natural" base.
Such enzymes are known per se. They are produced e.g. by germination of seeds and wheat such as malting of certain wheat types for breweries and distilleries. Barley, wheat and rye malts are produced and used in large amounts. The malting process is a two-step process and consists of the germination phase for producing the so-called green malt and the following kiln-drying process. The result is a more or less aromatized malt product for the beer production having varying contents of enzymes. The kiln-drying process is performed at relatively high temperatures, e.g. up to 105.degree. C. for coloured malts and up to 85.degree. C. for bright malts. As a result the enzymes produced in the germination process are denatured partially or even completely so that their effectiveness gets lost.
Furthermore, it has become known to produce dry cerealia malts which are not kiln-dried such as so-called air or diastase malts. The object of this method is the highest possible enrichment with enzyme complexes at low temperatures.
DE 14 17 568 discloses a method wherein instead of a kiln-drying process treatment of wheat by water vapour or by direct heating thereof with hot vapour is provided. In this method temperatures between 180.degree. C. and 250.degree. C. are used. Inspite of relatively short heating times the temperatures in the germination medium will be increased to 75.degree. C. However, there will be only little or no colouring of the dry malt. Nevertheless, a great part of the enzymes will be denatured also in this temperature range.
DE 20 27 946 discloses a method for treating barley before the malting process. In this method the end of the spelts and parts of the pericarps of the grain remote from the germ is ground off or removed such that a growth substance solution such as gibberellin acid may permeate more thoroughly into the grain so as to accelerate the malting process. While acceleration of the germination process is obtained thereby, the enzyme concentration obtained thereby will nevertheless be in the usual range. The kiln-drying temperatures are also in a conventional range.
DE 14 42 145 discloses a method for treating root germs and cions in a deep temperature range in order to inactivate them so as to obtain an alpha-amylase concentration up to about 65 D.E./g by a gibberellic acid treatment.
All of the above methods suffer from the fact that the obtainable enzyme concentration is relatively small. The use of plant growth substances such as gibberellin can overcome this deficiency not or only partially.